One of her jokes went "I blame my mother for my poor sex life. All she told me was 'the man goes on top and the woman underneath'. For three years my husband and I slept in bunk beds". Late Joan Rivers was an actress, TV host, and a stand up comedian.

Joan Rivers, known quite recently to many as the mistress of Fashion Police died at the age of 81. Her daughter Melissa confirmed this. She had been on life support in Mount Sinai Hospital since having a cardiac arrest in New York last week.

She started her career as a stand up comedian, making fun at herself - her body, her family responsibilities and being a misfit within an unaccommodating world.

In a statement, her daughter said she died surroubded by family and friends, and she thanked hospital staff for their "amazing care".

Joan Rivers stopped breathing during a procedure on her vocal chords at an outpatient clinic last Thursday.

Joan Rivers was born Joan Alexandra Molinsky was born June 8, 1933, in Brooklyn New York to a family of Jewish immigrants who had fled the Russian revolution. Her home was not always a happy one. Her parents argued over money regularly.

Joan had dreams of making it as an actress but her parents discouraged it.

Her big break came however in 1965 when she appeared on the Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson. She soon had her own talk show and kept up regular appearances on "Tonight" and several other talk and variety programs.

Her first marriage lasted only six months . She met Edgar Rosenberg in 1965 not long after the Carson appearance, and they got married four days later. He however committed suicide in 1987.

Joan Rivers as a comedian was quick-witted and sharp-tongued, known around the world especially for her harsh criticisms on the style and fashion of celebrities on the E! network.

Rivers also became known for her numerous plastic surgeries which she flaunted rather than played down.

"I've had so much plastic surgery, when I die they will donate my body to Tupperware", she said.

Another joke about her plastic surgeries and her death, she said in a tweet "With all the plastic surgery I've had, I'm worried that when I die, God on't recognise me".

The comedian, known for her lacerating wit, said her harshness was what made up her personality. She said she only expresses what everyone is thinking and she is known to have been "screaming her way through life".

Joan Rivers was recognized for her wit but feared for her underlying wrath. She was known to be a very relentless person. In 2009, she won an edition of Donald Trump's "Celebrity Apprentice".

Donald Trump said on Thursday, "she had unbelievable stamina".

"It's my job to make them laugh", Joan Rivers would say. It did not matter to her however how she did the job, if it hurt people or not. She was also criticized a lot for her approach as a comedian.

She almost never apologized and rarely looked back. She said it was her bluntness that made her who she was.

Joan earned several honors over her career. She was nominated for a Grammy and a Tony, and won a Daytime Emmy for her early 90's talk show.

"My mother's greatest joy was to make people laugh", Melissa Rivers said. "Although that is difficult to do right now, I know her final wish would be that we return to laughing soon ".

Shortly after her death was announced, tributes poured in from the entertainment world.

Comedian and actress Whoopi Goldberg tweeted "My friend Joan Rivers has passed away once again to quote Billy Crystal... There are no words. Bon Voyage Joan".

Ellen DeGeneres, a TV host described Rivers as a pioneer, adding that "She paved the way for a lot of comedians. I'm very sad she's gone".

Joan Rivers is survived by her daughter Melissa and her grandson Cooper.

32 year old CEO of Tinnah Styling, Toyin Lawani and her 22 year old lover, Trigga Kess have come out to clear the air about rumors of their break up.

The celebrity stylist, who was rumoured to have broken up with her fiance and father of her 8 months old son, Trigga Kess, took to social media to clear the air about the rumours.

On her social media page, she put up a picture of she and him, and captioned it "lol, they wish... you are the realest boo #love".

Not long after, Trigga Kess posted a picture of their eight months old son and Toyin, which he captioned "cuties #love".

He also posted another picture with her and captioned it "a king always needs a queen, no filter".

The couple got engaged last year and have a son together.

The 32 year old CEO is still rumoured to be at war with her friend-turned-foe, Tonto Dikeh, whom she says owes her 15,000 USD for a birthday dress she styled for her.

It is unclear what kicked off the rivalry between the one-time friends, but it is clear that neither the actress nor the stylist is ready to sheath sword soon, as they keep firing at each other on social media.

Toyin Lawani, the thirty-one year old CEO of the fashion outfit TinnahStyling, has split up with her baby daddy, Lord Trigg, after being engaged to him for a year.

Reportedly, the relationship between the duo had been going great, judging from the way they flaunted it in the numerous posts on their several social media accounts, especially when Toyin was pregnant.

Toyin Lawani is one of Nigeria's popular fashion stylists. It is believed that Toyin met Trigg years ago and tried signing him up to her label.

Even though the duo have not confirmed their break-up, a huge pointer to this report is the fact that they no longer update their pictures and posts on instagram and other social media as before.

Reportedly, a source close to them alleged that Trigg went to Toyin's house and burnt her closet full of clothes, adding that the reason for the bitter break-up is unknown.

It was alleged that Trigg earlier tried absconding with his eight-month old baby. Toyin caught him in the act and got him arrested.

The thirty-one year old had previously had a grown daughter from her previous relationship, but this did not affect the relationship between her and her twenty-two year old fiance.

The reason however for this secret breakup is not known.

Meanwhile, the battle between Toyin and Tonto Dikeh, her former friend goes on.

The feud between the ladies, which is commonly known as the clash of the 'T' ladies, is said to get messier each minute.

The former best friends are reported to have been engaging in a battle of words on social media for some days now, spitting fire at each other.

The latest issue now is the accusation made by Toyin Lawani, that Tonto owes her 15,000 USD for a birthday dress. The thirty-one year old CEO allegedly said that she would continue to post photos of Tonto Dikeh wearing looks she styled and would not relent until Tonto pays the debt.

Except one has deep interest in watching Hollywood films or lucky to belong to the veri old skul age bracket, the name Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor may just sound like one Lizzy babe; a former school mate or neighbour. She was a famous Hollywood star actress who became a superstar way back in the 50s. Hau meni of os dem don born bai dat taim? She played landmark roles in projecting Hollywood as an institution and the film industry in general in the United States of America. Way back in 1944 she started her film career with the powerful film “National Velvet”.

Later on in her eventful life, she starred or featured in films like “Father of the Bride” (1950), “A Place in the Sun” (1951), “Giant” (1956), “Cat On A Hot Tin Roof” (1958), “ Cleopatra” (1963), “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?” (1966), “Butterfield 8” (1968) etc. She won several high profile awards & honors including the Academy Awards, the Oscas, etc. Her story could be summarized as that of a very beautiful woman whose beauty and role as a film actress brought her fame, wealth and propa gbese; married eight times to seven husbands (one of them twice.) She died on Wednesday, March 23 at the age of 79 in Los Angeles. Eyaaaaa!

Once we are in love with a particular thing or person, hardly do we have the “heart” to accommodate dissenting opinions. Taking cognizance of the “other sides” of Elizabeth Taylor, one would be offending many in their thinking that her beauty made up fo ol di yeye tins she did in her life time. In local parlance, Elizabeth Taylor’s beauty and marital life would be best described as onefain wuman we no fit hol imsef, pesin we de jomp from one man to anoda. Hers could be likened to a marital janglova; a swingin a rhythmic fun, leaving a serious dent to her moral standing.

No doubt, it has been said in several places that she would be greatly remembered for playing a perfect script out of her love and marital life. Blessed with a peculiar capacity or skill in husband switching, she was to say the least confused by her controversial behavior. Wen dem ask am se wetin mek am de mari mari laik dat, she said “I don’t know honey. It sure beats the hell out of me”, complimenting a friend’s assertion that she was kind of hyperactive; im bodi tu hot and was not ready fo eni kain yama yama fo marej.

We all have our individual weaknesses; fo laif, evribodi get im oun. No one can determine what life has in store for him or her. Elizabeth Taylor would never have envisaged that in her life time, she will get what she got in her marriage. One of his former husbands named Richard Burton got married to her twice in what we simply call mari komot, mari komot.

Despite Taylor’s various life challenges she achieved a lot in the area of motherhood and ”became a grandmother at the age of 39” in 1971. “At the time of her death she was survived by four children, ten grandchildren, and four great grand-children.” That she was surrounded by four of her children at the point of her death at Cedas-Sinai Medical Centre in Los Angeles, California testified to the fact that she was loved by them.

In life, our strength may be our weakness if not well-managed e.g. one’s wealth or beauty may turn out to be one’s undoing. In those days, a man’s handsome look may turn out to be propa wahala for him because women no go let am res. Elizabeth Taylor, was beautiful and rich; double wahala (Fela Anikulakpo would love to say.) Like her, men were carried away by both her natural and material endowments. Some say she was simply unlucky with the marriage institution. Whichever way one may look at it, she was only a victim of the syndrome of “mari komot, mari komot” something we strongly abhor in our clime. A woman’s respect and dignity is largely rated by her capacity to hold tenaciously to her marriage despite the “ups and downs.” But a friend said during a discussion on the subject matter, that, her attitude of jompin from marej to marej was far better than “playing around” with smol smol boys. Another friend countered that she was also guilty of this act by her relationship with Michael Jackson who was more or less a smol pikin then. Elizabeth Taylor na “fine” wuman. Na koret Actress. Na mari komot, mari komot. May her soul rest in perfect peace, amen.

Mr. Oribhabor is a Promoter of Naija (aka Nigeria Pidgin) and resides in Abuja-Nigeria

Under the caption, “The Assault on Nigerian Languages”, ThisDay newspaper’s Editorial of Wednesday, March 16, 2011 p.19 bemoaned the lack of attention that’s generally being given to our local languages and stressed that they “are becoming extinct because not only are parents denying their children the opportunity to communicate in their mother tongue, they themselves shy away from speaking their local dialect.” Furthermore, it stated that, “The English language has sadly become the preferred language of communication.” If English language, the nation’s official lingua franca was described as “sadly” “the preferred language of communication” there’s no better way of saying that the language is only struggling to survive in a multi-ethnic composition called Nigeria.

I have always wondered why some parents discourage their children from speaking the local languages including Naija (aka Nigerian pidgin.) Apart from the fact that it’s not going to be the reason why their children may not be fluent in speaking English language, it will painfully lead to the loss of their “cultural identity” as highlighted in the said editorial. If my early encounter with Naija (aka Nigerian Pidgin) is anything to go by, I shouldn’t be as fluent as I am in speaking as well as writing the English language; mi fo no ivun fit de rait di smol smol inglish a de rait bikos awa papa no sabi inglish. Bot wi de tek fest fo inglish. Wi de kari fest fo school.

These days, parents are “running after money” laik se tumoro no de. Hardly do they have the time to sit down daily or weekly to jointly with their kids/wards to review their school works. The more parents abandon their responsibility of speaking their indigenous languages to their children, the more we shall be experiencing a steady growth in the number of speakers of Naija. Sometime ago, I wrote in one of my articles titled “The Naija Bug” that once upon a time, speakers of Naija were largely looked down upon with disdain and regarded as either incapable of speaking “good English” or only being compelled to speak it to enable a communication with those who are not versed in it. Accordingly therefore, whenever one speaks the English language in the Nigerian way, it is the conclusion of many that such a person should jos kip kwayet as if grama na awa langwej. It is against this backdrop that one stands to defend our “one and only” Dame Patience; the wife of President Goodluck Jonathan and First Lady of the Federal republic of Nigeria in respect of hau dem se she de trowe inglish fo campaign mata.

According to som tatafo wit aut waya plus reactions gathered from some social networking sites, dem se madam maut no de flo wel fo grama mata. To put it in proper perspective, she was accused amongst others of calling on voters to pres dia han fo PDP ombrela fo April elekshon.

I wouldn’t want to waste precious space chronicling ol di tins we dem se madam don tok. Rather, let me state without mincing words that the President’s wife may have only communicated the way she did to enable an effective communication with her Naija audience. Let it be said here that some of the best speakers/orators around, effectively combine the English language with parables from the local languages. The same goes for Comedians and multinational companies in Nigeria that had long keyed in to this. Today, dem de hama koret koret kudi from the use of Naija and English language.

Naija langwej A-Z is out to promote Naija (aka Nigerian Pidgin) alongside the numerous indigenous words that have found solid expression in the language. It is also to support and encourage every effort at ensuring that our children do not abandon our indigenous languages. Therefore, I make bold to say that no matter what we do as individuals or corporate bodies, a blend of English language and Naija is very healthy in our clime where numerous languages compete for space and recognition.

If Patience Jonathan se mek wi put awa han fo PDP,na koret langwej bi dat. She is already ahead of millions of Nigerians who are yet to see the handwriting on the wall that grama don de boro leg smol smol fo awa obodo kontri. Accordingly, her “supposed” grammatical “flaws” or “gaffes” are in tune with what I have long dubbed “the future writing and speaking style” of Nigerians; a blend of English language and Naija as being demonstrated in the column; “Naija Langwej A-Z”. Here is a woman who has been working so hard for the realization of her husband’s dream of becoming the President of Nigeria and the increase in the participation of women in politics. Why should anyone imagine that Dame Patience is above mistake fo langwej we no bi im oun. Abeg, mek una liv madam Pechens elon! She has better things to worry about. Na grama wi go chop?

Regular readers of this column should by now, be familiar with spellings in Naija as used on this page. This niu spelin sistem was packaged by Naija Langwej Akedemi in collaboration with Institut Francais de Recherché en Afrique au Nigeria (IFRA-NG) code-named Standad Naija Otografi (SNO.) This autography has guided all spellings used in the promotion of Naija (aka Nigeria Pidgin.) For example, if the above title was written in normal English language, it would read; Signboard Philosophy or Philosophy of the signboard. By the way, the average Nigerians regard billboards as signboards bikos na niu wod. In whatever name you choose to call it, let's talk about hau di tin don skata som pipul hed fo Naija.

Philosophy, spelt filosofi in Naija, is a “set of beliefs or an attitude to life that guides somebody’s behavior. “By this definition,the filosofi of di sainbodfo Naija could be explained as the feeling or belief that projects the use of billboards as a compulsory tool for the promotion of a particular cause or image with a view to winning political advantage at the expense of political opponents in Nigeria. It is a false barometer for judging the capabilities of candidates seeking to be elected into respective political offices. Similarly, it is a “yardstick” for measuring who is who amongst serving political office holders especially governors of the respective states in Nigeria. Somehow, it has become a sine qua non for performance and the capacity to perform “if given the opportunity.” The phenomenal increase in the number of signboards being mounted across the country points to the fact that it is now a veritable avenue for making quick business; an meni pipul don hama from dis niu levul.

There’s no doubt that several politicians/candidates seeking for one political office or the other will continue to redouble their efforts at outsmarting themselves using this filosfi even though it exposes their respective level of kolo-mentaliti. It is now one of the ways by which awa big big oga dem de tek de setul dia bois; political cronies and ol di pipul we sabi limpa. These days, am told that political jobbers and business people embark on fasting and prayer sessions to secure the contract for the production of billboards. Dem go se, if manpikin fit get ivun tu oo “three”sainbod, a don hama.

The sainbod filosofi creates a false sense of feeling in those mounting them that; the more billboards they mount the more their chances of winning or staying in power for as long as the constitution permits. They have a warped view of politics for genuine development. Dem kom tink se di mo dem du sainbod, di mo pipul go de laik dem.

Going by this thinking, we find all manner of billboards mounted with both private and state funds promoting smol smol yeye wok like the commissioning of a borehole in a community or a block of classrooms whose entire surrounding at completion stage smacks of nothing but hori hori wok. What about a billboard showing a governor smiling and waving to no one in particular. Is this a way of telling his people that im govament na kankpe? No shekin?

In matters relating to billboards, shame is usually thrown to the dogs. Billboards are even used in the promotion of either ground braking events, on-going construction works, or projects that were haphazardly concluded. No thought is ever given to the huge sum of resources wasted in the process of mounting them. Plenti plenti yeye yeye tins de fo sainbod mata and are capable of making one cry for one’s country and its leadershipespecially when one looks at some shoddy jobs/projects (almost eaten up by weed) shown to the whole world on giant-sized billboards. Then you will ask; di pipul we put sainbod no get shem?

Once carried away by a filosofithat conditions one’s mind and thinking to view the mounting of sainbod as the only way of showcasing one’s political worth, one was bound not to imagine a disgraceful outing at the coming polls. This reminds me of one of Evi Edna Ogholi’s musical numbers that says something like; in every kilometer, you find a new language. In this sense, every kilometer is a billboard competing for space and recognition in terms of size. For fear of being branded a political hatchet man acting the bidding of some political godfada, the names of states leading in this show of shame fo dis moden ej would have been mentioned. As the billboard wars rages on, it would be expedient to make provision for the repair/amendment of the old and weary looking billboards as well as the production of new ones with “current designs” even though there may be no budget head for such expenses. Sainbod filosofi. Naija sainbod. Ol na ten an ten pens!

As a people still alive and “kicking”, we should count ourselves as lucky especially when we take cognizance of the numerous challenges we face daily.

NEPA an lait! Water an Mai Ruwa! Traffic jam an go slowe tai rapa! etc. Notwithstanding, some of us still marital luck; awa waif no tok se dem bi widow wen wi stil de fo laif, economic luck: wen pesin jos de hama laik wota, political luck; wen pesin sidon dem kol am kom tek pawa, luck of good health; di onli tin wen dem no de bai fo maket. Our respective lucks derive from smol smol luck. These are thedifren difren tins that add up and eventually blossom into the BIG LUCK; which majority eventually know or associate with. For example, if Goodluck Jonathan eventually wins in the South East at the April polls, it will not be out of place to situate the victory against the “smol luck” of the roots of his wife Patience; a woman with some Eastern Konekshon; a luck that’s going well for GEJ. His recent adoption by the All Nigeria Grand Alliance (APGA) as its Presidential Candidate can be traced to this same luck. Today, all the Governors of the Eastern states have openly pledged their support and that of their supporters for the Jonathan/Sambo team. Na di sem konekshon de wok.

By Eastern Konekshon, I mean the advantage that comes with taking a wife from another tribe other than yours in case of future political calculations. For example, there are countless number of successful Military and civilian pipul we don de mek am bikos of wie dem mari dia waif oo hosband from. It is against this background that I am hoping to build my eventual acceptance of wetin mai pipul go se, wen dem se mek a kom join politiks bikos, mai waif na ijo. Dis ijokonekshon will naturally help in saliently pushing my cause. And before my opponents go sabi wetin de hapun, a don tule. Have you ever imagined how tough it would have been for GEJ/SAMBO if Patience, his wife wasn’t having dis konekshon? Especially now that the North West of Nigeria has been “adjudged” as problematic for him? The talk about GEJ being a candidate of “Nashonal Konsensus” has a lot to do with this same lucky link.

I do appreciate the onerous challenges our dear President GEJ has been facing traversing the landscape of the country; speaking of his intention to transform it into what we the people will be proud of. He has repeatedly flaunted his humble background as part of his sincerity to why Nigerians should give him the benefit of doubt for a genuine transformation of Nigeria; stating that if he can get to where he is today, it could have been any other. That is; it could just be anyone. Here in lies a magic wand majority are yet to fully grapple with. By this encouraging remark, viz a viz my very humble background in No 7 Obahor street in Warri, am considering giving a serious thought to whatever my people would say at the end of the day. However, I won’t fail to tell them in clear terms that I am not going for any position at either the local or state government level. I will politely let them know that I have a salient credential that gives me an added advantage of being a candidate for either the National Assembly or the Presidency; no more no less. I will not mince my words as I tell them that mai politiks mos stat from Abuja bikos mai luck bi laik se i pas GEJ oun.

Having deeply considered the impending pronouncement of my people, I am just waiting for them to call on me bikos wen mai pipul don tok se; when they speak, I will jump at it without the batting of an eye. Like GED, my wife is not from the same place with me. She is an Izon (Ijo) from Delta State; a tribe being erroneously tagged the fourth largest in Nigeria after Hausa, Ibo and Yoruba. In reality, they should be either the first or second in terms of population and none can beat their unique advantage of spread across the “length and breadth of the country.” Technically speaking, they are everywhere in Nigeria because it has been said and generally acknowledged that eniwie riva de, ijo man de fo dia. And, we have rivers all over the country. From Cross Rivers to Maiduguri, Delta to Kebbi, Rivers to Benue, Niger to Akwa Ibom, Taraba to Imo, Abia to Lagos, Ondo to Kogi, Nasarawa to Kaduna, and Anambra to Sokoto especially around the Rima River area. What a luck? Looks like I have unwittingly let out my future strength to my political opponents. Assuming one of them decides to take a new wife from the ijo tribe preparatory to counter balancing me in 2035 when I presume, by all zoning calculations, it should be the turn of my region to produce the next president.

By 2035, manpikin go don go fa fo ej (age). Will I have the guts to do ol di tins pipul de du fo Pilitiks fo Naija? The chances are very very slim. I don’t even have the luck of a military strength of Nigeria’s former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and others who could stay all night watching the presidential primaries of GEJ until the wee hours of the following day when the winner was announced. Can I sacrifice my night sleep or rest for politikal rons an wahala at an old age? A time when am supposed to be offering advice to younger ones from the comfort of my modest country home? A time when am supposed to be playing and enjoying with my grand children? A time, if health permits, I should be delivering specialized papers on Naija langwej across the globe. If dis last won na politiks, na im bi se a go join. Odawaiz, mai han an mai leg no de fo Naija Politiks fo nau!

Edwin Eriata Oribhabor

Mr. Oribhabor is a Promoter of Naija (aka Nigerian Pidgin) residing in Abuja

After writing; “Mai pipul se…” in Naija (aka Nigerian Pidgin), I have never been the same again. My whole thoughts have been dominated by the feelings of the prospect of being urged to come back home soon by mai pipul to join in the on-going political process aimed at securing the “dividends of democracy”; a sing song they hear on national radio and television every day.

As a people deep in the throes of the negative impacts of the lack of good governance since our nation’s political independence in the 60s, their virginity on all fronts speak volumes. Should they eventually arrive at sending me a “call to service”, I will be hard put telling them in strong terms that I am just a Komon Raita without an iota of interest in “joining politics”; that I have no political ambition whatsoever. Would they ever agree with me that politics is a very expensive venture which an odinari manlaik mishouldn’t go near? Do they know that it will be fool hardy of me to embark on a journey which am completely alien to? Why should they consider me worthy of rescuing them from the doldrums of political and economic adversities plaguing them for decades? As I struggle to push these thoughts off my subconscious, they kept coming in a deluge. Suddenly, a voice re-echoed to me saying; “Don’t be bothered! You won’t be the first to fall for the cry of his people yearning for good governance.” A “call to service” is a call for a change of the status quo for the better. However, it is not that easy joining the fray of politicians whose common excuse for joining politics was to mention; “Mai pipul se…”, “Mai pipul se…”

Even though a Komon Raita, I shouldn’t accept hook line and sinker whatever my people may say ivun if na fo dream. They had better forget about me because I am ill-prepared for the dangerous enterprise of taking on known old faita dem who are adept at political manipulations in a terrain where money, “Do or die mentality”, “Must deliver your constituency”, “Vote capture”, “Win at all costs” an oda yama yamatins drives the peoples’ instincts to want to “du anondu.” How do I fit in here? I don’t see myself going cap in hand sourcing for funds from individuals or financial institutions to kick start a political campaign. This expected call must wait until such a time when I must have considered myself ready; financially, physically and spiritually. I neither have a Pastor nor a native doctor/ogbebunu/jas man at my beck and call for prayers and political forecasting. While I ruminated over these “indices”, I heard another voice saying; “Wai yu de wori yosef?”: Why worry yourself! Wait untill when you are called upon by your people! “Wait fes mek yo pipul kol yu.”

If I have to prepare for tomorrow’s call, it behoves of me to think deep and be forward looking because indications are rife that my people were hell bent on inviting me to come and serve them. Therefore, wen mai pipul se wetin manpikin don olredi nou, wetin man go du?It’s time I began to look at only my strengths with high hopes for tomorrow. I need to be ever optimistic baring whatever weakness that may be present. Evribodi get im taim, an wen yo pipul kol yu, no bodi go fit stop yu. Na yo lok bi dat; whenever you are so called by yo pipul,none can’t stop you. Don’t get me wrong; am not talking about Goodluck; Nigeria’s President. I am talking about the luck of being invited by his/her people to come and serve them. Is luck defined only from the premise of the Goodluck-type of luck that takes you gradually but steadily from the “scratch of the scratch” to the “top of the top?”

Mr. Oribhabor is a Promoter of Naija (aka Nigerian Pidgin) residing in Abuja.

By Onochie AnibezeThere have been Emmanuel Udughan, Raji Fashola, Gbenga Daniel and now Abdulrahaman Abdulrasaq wants to join them.The three governors mentioned above have distinguished themselves in the development of sports.

Uduaghan is a sportsman himself. He played tennis to a high competitive level and now plays social tennis. He is very passionate about sports. While some others may claim to be champions of foreign clubs he chooses to align with state teams.

With over three thousand

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By Onochie AnibezeThere have been Emmanuel Udughan, Raji Fashola, Gbenga Daniel and now Abdulrahaman Abdulrasaq wants to join them.The three governors mentioned above have distinguished themselves in the development of sports.

Uduaghan is a sportsman himself. He played tennis to a high competitive level and now plays social tennis. He is very passionate about sports. While some others may claim to be champions of foreign clubs he chooses to align with state teams.

With over three thousand engaged in sports in Delta State, his state provides employment in sports more than any other state. Delta does not only win almost all competitions in the country they also have a reasonable number of athletes on their sponsorship abroad. Many are on academic scholarship. They have the best facilities in sports and they are still developing more, with the aim to make sports the industry it deserves to be in a society where youth development matters to the policy makers. Delta is, arguably, the number one state in sports and the credit goes to Uduaghan.

Gbenga Daniel may not have the passion and sophistication of Uduaghan in sports matters but nobody can take away his genuine effort to develop sports in Ogun. With standard stadia in Abeokuta, Ijebu Ode and Shagamu and the competitiveness of the state athletes in youth events the marks Gbenga has made in sports are there for all to see.

The last time I wrote on Raji Fashola I was simply ananlysing the remarks of my children while taking them out on a weekend ride. I was amazed by their comments and observation.

“Oh!, this is beautiful, Fashola has been here,” was the way Chisom described a newly tarred road with good drainage that gave the street a new look. On getting to Ago Road in Okota, Chibeze chipped in that “Fashola has not visited here.” The drive continued and I only listened as they chatted.

“Fashola is visiting many places in Lagos and by the time he is through Lagos will change,” Ifeanyi contributed. They continued chatting on the changes Fashola was effecting in Lagos. Chisom at 7, Chibeze 8 and Ifeanyi at ten as at then, I was amazed at their observations and the link to good governance. I was impressed and I felt I should share with readers the observations of my children seemingly innocent of politics but highly appreciative of good governance.

In that column, I linked the good things the kids were saying about Fashola to what he was doing to revive sports in Lagos, once the Mecca of Nigerian sports. But Lagos took a long sojourn away from sports following state governments that were indifferent to what meant to Nigeria in the area of sports. Fashola has a policy aimed at combing the nooks and crannies of Lagos for grassroots development.

“Tears as Toblow leaves Lagos” was the headline Ikeddy Isiguzo cast when he was our Sports Editor more than 20 years ago. Lagos athletes were bemoaning the departure of a coach who had not only produced them but also made them stars.

That was when the decline started. Coaches left and athletes followed. Suddenly, Lagos, the hub of Nigerian sports, lost everything including football. It is so bad that no premier league club now has Lagos as their base. Fashola appears not to be interested in Lagos State owning a club but he is doing everything to encourage private and other corporate bodies to own clubs.

He is providing the enabling facilities and encouraging professionalism. He has set up a body to scout for talents and nurture them. The committee is working just like Lagos, as a state is working. It takes time and planning to produce Olympians. With time, results will show, possibly long after Fashola would have gone after serving a second term in Lagos. All men of goodwill and members of the sports family should ensure that he returns as our governor. It is same with Uduaghan.

And now another sportsman is on the campaign to be governor of Kwara State. Only a week ago I learnt that Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq is the CPC Gubernatorial candidate in Kwara State. I come from a sports background. Sports coverage is my beat. And I’ll support those who have sympathy for sports, those who can use sports to provide employment, entertainment that will reduce our stress, those who can use sports to achieve peace and turn it into an industry that will promote our economy and general well being. Abdulrahaman is one.

I first met Abdulrahaman at the 1998 Nations Cup in Burkina Faso. He just came to watch good football. He has been to all the Nations Cup since then and was even our guest analyst for the Tunisia Nations Cup in 2004. Just three seasons after forming FC Abuja, the club owned by EFCC but which he managed won promotion to the Premiership. They only went down when Nuhu Ribadu left EFCC and the interest from leadership of crime fighters waned. If you discuss sports with Abdulrahaman his knowledge and ideas will amaze you.

I’m just imagining what Kwara will be like in sports if he becomes the next governor of the state. I wish him luck.This is time for politics. And like Ikeddy, now our Editorial Board Chairman, said recently, those of us in the sports family should cast our votes for those who can change our sports. And from my perspective the votes from sports men and women and all those who clamour for the good of sports should go to the likes of Uduaghan, Fashola and Abdulrahaman. And who should we vote out? More on this later.

AIT AwardsI watched the AIT Awards in Port Harcourt on television.I commend the television station for their initiative. I commend the organisers.

The event in Abuja last year appeared better. The stage, the lighting and the entire production could be improved on. Getting the nominees to attend was great. The galaxy of stars that attended excited but the entertainers fell short of expectations. We should all encourage AIT to continue the awards and more states should show interest in hosting it.

By IME BASSEYKwara United Chief Coach, Tunde Sani has said that his strategy for games is taken from three foreign coaches in Europe.The former Shooting Stars left-winger who disclosed this in a chat with Inside Out Premier League said that he is completely engrossed with the character of Jose Mourinho and the tactics of Rafael Benitez.

He said: “I am in love with Mourinho’s personality and character but not his tactics. I always want to know more about Benitez’s tactics while I want to play like

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By IME BASSEYKwara United Chief Coach, Tunde Sani has said that his strategy for games is taken from three foreign coaches in Europe.The former Shooting Stars left-winger who disclosed this in a chat with Inside Out Premier League said that he is completely engrossed with the character of Jose Mourinho and the tactics of Rafael Benitez.

He said: “I am in love with Mourinho’s personality and character but not his tactics. I always want to know more about Benitez’s tactics while I want to play like Arsene Wenger. I love Wenger’s philosophy of the game because he likes to play beautiful football and still wins matches.

He looks for young players with talent and build them into world players. I want to raise up quality players that will put back the Nigerian Premier League in the limelight.

“Before the end of my career, I want to manage a team that would play beautiful football and win trophies. I will like to do this with the attitude of Mourinho and the tactics of Benitez,” he said.

Coach Sani’s ideology has won him and his team Kwara United three straight games in the Premier League.